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BOLOGNA, ITALY – APRIL 09: Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa scores his team’s second goal during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Leg One match between Bologna FC 1909 and Aston Villa FC at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on April 09, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Bologna were unlucky in attack and paid a heavy price for defensive errors, suffering a 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa in the Europa League quarter-final.
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The Rossoblu eliminated Roma in the all-Italian derby and went into this match without suspended Martin Vitik, plus injured Lukasz Skorupski, Thijs Dallinga, Charalampos Lykogiannis and Benjamin Dominguez.
Unai Emery won the Europa League four times as coach and made this trip without Jadon Sancho and Boubacar Kamara, so Youri Tielemans got his first start since January 25. Villa had won every game except one in the competition and already beat Bologna 1-0 in September, but that was the last Rossoblu defeat in this tournament.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Ollie Watkins didn’t get full control of a smart Youri Tielemans ball over the top, while Jhon Lucumi was booked early on and will be suspended for the second leg.
Bologna had a big double chance when first the Santiago Castro angled drive was charged down by Pau Torres, then Emiliano Martinez fingertipped the acrobatic Juan Miranda follow-up out from under the bar.
The hosts had the ball in the net on 26 minutes when Castro’s effort took a deflection off Ezri Konsa and was cleared by Matty Cash only after already crossing the line. However, it was disallowed by VAR as Castro’s toe was offside on the Jonathan Rowe pass.
Bologna were unlucky again moments later, this time Lewis Ferguson at full stretch poked a Rowe cross onto the underside of the crossbar.
John McGinn drilled inches wide, and Aston Villa took the lead against the run of play just before half-time. Federico Ravaglia flapped at a Youri Tielemans corner, as Konsa held off Lucumi to nod in at the back post.
Straight after the restart, Rowe ran from his own half and pulled back for Tommaso Pobega to fire just over from the edge of the area.
However, Bologna made another costly and avoidable error, this time Torbjorn Heggem struggling to control an overhit Miranda pass out from the back, so Buendia intercepted, allowing Watkins to place the angled drive under Ravaglia.
Incredibly, the hosts hit the frame of the goal for a second time, as Rowe set up Bernardeschi to fire against the outside of the near post.
Moments later, Dibu Martinez flew for a sensational fingertip save to push the Rowe curler out from under the bar.
Joao Mario also had an effort charged down, as did Rowe, but Bologna finally got the goal they deserved when Rowe cut inside from the left and bent a ferocious right-foot finish past Martinez.
However, just as they had hope, Watkins was left totally unmarked to tap in a flicked-on corner from five yards and restore Villa’s two-goal cushion.
Bologna 1-3 Aston Villa
Konsa 44 (A), Watkins 51, 93 (A), Rowe 90 (B)
09-04-2026 20:00
1/4 Final
Renato Dall’Ara StadiumBolognaAston Villa1 – 3
Player statistic
| Jhon Lucumí | 14' |
| 31' | Morgan Rogers |
| 44' | Ezri Konsa(Assist: Youri Tielemans) |
| 51' | Ollie Watkins(Assist: Emiliano Buendía) |
| Tommaso Pobega | 65' |
| Jonathan Rowe(Assist: Jhon Lucumí) | 90' |
| 90+4' | Ollie Watkins(Assist: Youri Tielemans) |
Match statistic
58
Possession %
42
19
Total shots
8
4
Shots on target
4
5
Shots off target
4
10
Blocked shots
0
4
Corners
3
7
Offsides
1
18
Fouls
15
Bologna
Aston Villa
Starting lineups
13
Federico Ravaglia
Goalkeeper
26
Jhon Lucumí
Defender
João Mário
Defender
33
Juan Miranda
Defender
14
Torbjørn Heggem
Defender
11
Jonathan Rowe
Midfielder
19
Lewis Ferguson
Midfielder
67′
8
Remo Freuler
Midfielder
90′
4
Tommaso Pobega
Midfielder
67′
10
Federico Bernardeschi
Attacker
9
Santiago Castro
Attacker
82′
23
Emiliano Martínez
Goalkeeper
4
Ezri Konsa
Defender
12
Lucas Digne
Defender
2
Matty Cash
Defender
14
Pau Torres
Defender
24
Amadou Onana
Midfielder
80′
7
John McGinn
Midfielder
8
Youri Tielemans
Midfielder
10
Emiliano Buendía
Attacker
88′
27
Morgan Rogers
Attacker
88′
11
Ollie Watkins
Attacker
Substitutes
16
Nicolò Casale
Defender
20
Nadir Zortea
Defender
Simon Sohm
Midfielder
25
Massimo Pessina
Goalkeeper
82
Matteo Franceschelli
Goalkeeper
73
Francesco Castaldo
Attacker
7
Riccardo Orsolini
Attacker
67′
6
Nikola Moro
Midfielder
67′
21
Jens Odgaard
Attacker
82′
28
Nicolò Cambiaghi
Attacker
90′
Tammy Abraham
Attacker
5
Tyrone Mings
Defender
40
Marco Bizot
Goalkeeper
3
Victor Lindelöf
Defender
9
Harvey Elliott
Attacker
Douglas Luiz
Midfielder
64
James Wright
Goalkeeper
16
Andrés García
Defender
26
Lamare Bogarde
Midfielder
80′
22
Ian Maatsen
Defender
88′
Leon Bailey
Attacker
88′
